Description
“You may remember that when I asked Allen Meadows, aka Burghound, on this video who he thought might be a natural heir to the late great Henri Jayer of Burgundy, one of the two people he cited was young Benjamin Leroux of Domaine Comte Armand.” Jancis Robinson, Jan 2009, www.jancisrobinson.com
“Leroux’s passion, ambition and sheer talent have already resulted in a number of stunning, beautiful wines, but my sense is that the best is yet to come.” Robert Parker Wine Advocate # 194 May 2011
“Benjamin Leroux is quiet and unassuming, but his wines more than speak for themselves. I tasted a wide range of 2010s, but was only able to revisit a handful of 2009’s as production is just a barrel or two for most wines. These are some of the most interesting wines being made in Burgundy today.” Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate
As the Jancis Robinson/Burghound quote above makes clear, Leroux is considered one of the most gifted and knowledgeable wine growers in the whole Cote d’Or. You just have to ask any serious Bourgogne producer about Leroux to understand the respect he has garnered amongst his colleagues in the region. He was always considered a prodigy, studying at the Lycée Viticole in Beaune from the age of 13 and taking the reins at the esteemed Domaine Comte Armand when he was only 26. Leroux’s success with the Domaine’s wines over the last decade has well justified the decision to appoint such a young man to run the show. He will continue to manage Comte Armand despite now having his own range of wines (another sign of how well respected he is). The range is fine tuned – several grand cru wines are now in barrel for example – and new vineyard acquisitions will add to the offering, however Leroux is determined only to work with vineyards that have been well managed and produce outstanding fruit, regardless of whether or not they have famous names. He actually champions lesser known regions in Burgundy which is refreshing. This makes sense, Leroux’s knowledge of Burgundy is encyclopedic and producers like him are waking up the wine world to the fact that the reputation of many Cote d’Or vineyards has as much to do with the producers who work them than any intrinsic qualities of the sites themselves.
Leroux’s 2011 amuse-bouche is an absolute blinder. We say ‘Bourgogne’ as it actually does not include any Bourgogne AOC in the blend (the key to understanding the quality)! Rather, it is made up of Santenay 1er cru la Comme, Santenay, Beaune and Saint-Romain villages wines. Leroux declassifies these wines because otherwise he would have no Bourgogne rouge to sell. With some extra fruit sources added in 2011, thankfully there is more to go round! The origin of the wines and the startling quality make it an absolute steal, punching well above its generic level. Whether this is the finest version of this wine is beside the point: this ripe and seductively juicy Côte de Beaune rouge is simply too good for the Bourgogne appellation! Try not to miss it.
“Outstanding, top value. An earthy and quite rustic nose of cool yet ripe dark berries leads to impressively rich and voluminous flavors that possess a hint of minerality on the vibrant and persistent finish. This is really very good for the appellation and worth considering.” 87 points, Allen Meadows, Burghound.com issue 50
RRP $70
